Gastro outbreak

Parents warned of gastro outbreak

Queensland Health has sent letters to parents in a western Queensland community about an outbreak of gastroenteritis.

The department's public health unit says a number of cases have been reported in Barcaldine and Longreach and it is believed they are being caused by a virus.

Longreach Hospital medical superintendent Dr John Douyere says it is highly infectious.

"The recommendation is that children should not return to school or day care facilities until they've recovered from diarrhoea and vomiting for at least 48 hours," he said.

"Children are still infectious for some time after they are clinically better and after they've stopped vomiting, so if we want to break the cycle of this illness and stop the spread of it, it is one of the best strategies that we can use.

"There's been a significant change in gastroenteritis in children since the introduction of the Rotavirus vaccine.

"This particular current gastroenteritis that we are seeing is thought to be not due to Rotavirus.

"There are a number of other viruses that can cause it. The public health team are currently testing samples from people in Barcaldine."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-04/parents-warned-of-gastro-outbreak/2824106